Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger passes during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium last season. / Frank Victores, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

by Jim Corbett, USA TODAY Sports

LATROBE, Pa. - One by one, Ben Roethlisberger watched the new members of football's $100-million club pass him on the quarterback pay scale.

It started at the end of February, with reigning Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco's $120.6-million payday - a record amount at the time - followed by Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo, Matthew Stafford and most recently, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

With three years remaining on his eight-year, $102 million deal that will pay him $13.6 million this season, what was his reaction - especially to Romo, Stafford and Ryan, who are now earning more than Roethlisberger but have yet to win a Super Bowl?

"Congratulations to them! Good for them, good for their families,'' Roethlisberger told USA TODAY Sports at the Pittsburgh Steelers' training complex at St. Vincent College. "For me, it's about this team.

"I've always said, 'I wanted to be set for life.' So what would another contract mean? It would mean my family would be set for life. So, good for those guys, they've earned it, they've played hard."

He added: "Being a quarterback is the toughest position in all of sports. And I'm not just saying it because I play it. I know how hard quarterback is to play.''

So, seriously, no jealousy?

"There may be some jealousy from the old fraternity of quarterbacks who used to play the game,'' he said. "But I support all these guys, Matt Ryan being the most recent one. Good for him. You're like, 'Whoa, that's awesome! Good for you.'"

With a $17.9 million salary cap hit next year, Roethlisberger said he is "not aware of any'' current extension negotiations going on between his agent Bruce Tollner and Steelers chairman Dan Rooney and team president Art Rooney.

Still, Roethlisberger, who was having an MVP-type season until rib and throwing shoulder injuries derailed the Steelers to 8-8 irrelevance, said he is consumed by a more important number than his salary.

"My goal has always been to win one more Super Bowl than anybody ever - I know what that means and that's what I have to do,'' said Roethlisberger, who has won two championships. "Five Super Bowl titles, that was always my goal.''

Saturday marked his 10th training camp since the Steelers selected Roethlisberger No. 11 overall from the University of Miami in the 2004 draft. After some draft-day wheeling and dealing, Eli Manning, selected first, went to the New York Giants and Philip Rivers, selected fourth, went to San Diego.

"I've always been an under-the-radar guy, it's the story of what I am right now, but that's all right,'' he said.

Roethlisberger characterized his relationship with second-year offensive coordinator Todd Haley as a healthier one after enduring stormy moments last season when the quarterback and coordinator butted heads. Roethlisberger chafed at one point early in 2012, slamming it as a dink-and-dunk offense.

Haley's charge was to preserve Roethlisberger for the long haul by designing a scheme to get the ball out of his hands quicker so Roethlisberger could avoid taking punishing hits.

"Any time there's one new guy who comes in and everybody else is the same and he's your boss, there's going to be some butting of heads,'' Roethlisberger said. "But it was blown way out of proportion. We get along great, even moreso now. We've had a whole offseason together. And he's passionate about it.

"That's why I'm so excited about this offense - one year of making it better. We threw out the bad stuff and kept the best of what we had. Hopefully, that's our playbook this year.''

The last time Roethlisberger played 16 games was 2008, when the Steelers last won a Super Bowl title. So his health is paramount for the Steelers to make another run at a league-record seventh Lombardi Trophy. Roethlisberger often has put his body on the line in a bid to extend plays, but the Steelers have paid the price with his injuries.

"I obviously want to play as many games as I can,'' Roethlisberger said. "I think I've been very unfortunate. I've had injuries. It's the style of game I play. "But I've been very fortunate not to have a real serious one, a season-ending ACL.

"I feel like my best football is yet to come. I don't feel like I'm old at all. I've been doing this 10 years, but I'm still only 31.''

Roethlisberger has made some tweaks to his training regimen to build up his core. He also has probably the best offensive line of his career protecting him. It's anchored by three-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey, who is flanked by guards Ramon Foster and David DeCastro and book-ended by tackles Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams.

"No disrespect to anyone but they might be the best all-around offensive line unit that we've had since I've been here,'' Roethlisberger said. "They're young and they're cohesive. They seem to know each other with a sixth sense.''

As if to underscore the point, all five linemen pile off a golf court outside the St. Vincent College cafeteria for dinner.

"As we speak, all five of them show up together,'' Roethlisberger said, slapping hands with his protectors. "That's how it is with these guys.

"Every quarterback wants to throw the ball all over the field. But I want to win games, and in order to do that, you have to run the ball effectively and throw it effectively. I like what we have in terms of balance to win.''

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He lobbied to keep his deep-threat wide receiver, but understands Mike Wallace, who signed a five-year, $60 million free-agent contract with the Miami Dolphins, had to do what was best for his family.

It didn't look as if the Steelers missed Wallace on the first day of practice Saturday, when Roethlisberger was slinging deep strikes to Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown and rookie Markus Wheaton.

"I'm glad Mike's family is happy, but we've got guys,'' Roethlisberger said. "They're all going to play great. And that's why it's a fine line, because you say you miss a guy, but the guys here, they're going to get it done.''

Roethlisberger is fired up by this summer of doubt.

"We're picked third in the AFC North'' he said. "I'm not concerned with what people are saying. I'm excited about this team and what this season can be for us.

"I feel great and I feel healthy. I'm excited about this year and the next couple of years. I don't know how much longer I'm going to play - until the good Lord says I can't or Mr. Rooney says I can't.''